Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) came out strongest of the FIM Supersport World Championship pack in a critical Friday Tissot Superpole session ahead of Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) and Filippo Farioli (VFT Racing). The result puts Arenas in prime position to strike early in Race 1 and close the title race early at the Cremona Circuit’s EICMA Italian Round.
ALCOBA DIGS DEEP FOR FIRST CAREER WORLDSSP POLE
Riding with a head full of steam after his team announced they won’t be continuing their collaboration next season,Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team) set a new lap record with 28 minutes left in the session. While a track limits violation voided the lap, he struck late with two minutes to go to retake pole position with a record-setting 1’31.259s time. His result marks a big step after a P16 Superpole result here last season and his first career WorldSSP pole. Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) left it until late, seizing pole position with just seven minutes left with a 1’31.316s time. His time was beaten five minutes later, but he will be pleased with a P2 start in Race 1. Filippo Farioli (VFT Racing) landed a personal best this season with a P6 in Race 2 to close Magny-Cours, and the Yamaha rider struck again in Italy, bagging P2 in the Superpole session for his career-best Friday result in WorldSSP.
MASIA STRONG ON FRIDAY
Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was back up near the front on Friday at Cremona; his 1’31.437s time will see him lead the second row despite clocking in just shy of two tenths slower than Alcoba. Masia’s lap was his best Friday result since Phillip Island. Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) took P5 at home, tying the best starting position of his WorldSSP career. Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) made a late attack on P1, holding it briefly until several riders beat his 1’31.624s time, leaving him just under four tenths behind Zaccone.
RUNNER-UP DEBISE TO START FROM P8
Ondrej Vostatek (Compos Racing Team) tied the best Superpole session of his five-year WorldSSP career with a 1’31.650s lap, finishing in P7. Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing) looked to have found his footing in the second half of the session, briefly sitting in P1 with around 17 minutes left after lingering farther down the order. His time was overpowered late, however, leaving him in P8 on Friday, setting up an uphill Saturday attack on Arenas. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) took his second Superpole P9 in two rounds at Cremona, his time just two thousandths shy of Debise ahead of him and four tenths off from P1. Determined to defend his P11 spot in the Championship standings, and eyeing Zaccone’s P10 four points ahead of him, Matteo Ferrari (WRP Racing) was firing on all cylinders on Friday, sitting atop the order for most of the first half of the session. As times improved, his 1’31.681s time couldn’t hold up, and he slid down to P10 by the end of the session. Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) returned to WorldSSP action after suffering an injury over the summer break while riding in British Superbike and missing the action at Magny-Cours. On Friday at Cremona, he landed in P11.
The top six from the WorldSSP Tissot Superpole session: full results here!
- Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki WorldSSP Team)
- Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) +0.057s
- Filippo Farioli (VFT Racing) +0.171s
- Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.178s
- Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team)+ 0.328s
- Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.365s
New Fastest Lap- Jeremy Alcoba (Kawasaki) – 1’31.259s
The table is set for a decisive round at Cremona! Tune in for WorldSSP’s Race 1 on Saturday at 14:00 (Local Time UTC +2) with the WorldSBK VideoPass! Now 70% off!